The Labor enquirer., 1887-03-26
The Dance-House Horrors Of
a Capitalist Lumber
Camp.
How the Employing Glasses Lure
Poor Working Girls to Their
y Eternal Ruin.
Houses OF Prostitution Used TO Bra
mlile and rlunder the Ignorant
and Degraded Workers.

From, tho sau Francisco Examiner, March
y isT,
Occasionally reports OF high sensa-
uonal character are sent by telegraph
from Michigan regarding the depravity
and vice that reign in the northern
lumber camps. Ap Examiner reporter
Yesterday called upon a Michigan lum.
herman who Is stopping 10 the city aud
asked him about these things.
"Why lord. man." said he, "a lumber
camp without dance house is like a
wagon with three wheels, II would be
impossible 10 get men TO 20 TO the woods
forto rob them Of all oftheir wages
En- II they hadn't this anu sement
These halls are built for their amuse.
meat, and though the proprietors do
sometimes resort to horrible practices,
the l1mbermen are entert aimed. aud II
lheplaces we're TO be closed the men
would 20 on striketfl and the mills
would have 10 be shut down. because
they could not get the logs. The Lewis.
hiure OF Michigi has been trying to
make 4 law prohibiting these halls, but
ble,s your soul. who Is going up IN the
luaber camps where there is no law To
prevent these halls being run?
NO, tell you the Ok men make their
own laws just as they do in Hooking
wesnppose. and rs long ss they do their
work their employers are not going to
tell them how they are TO amuse them,
selves. But for all that. these places
are bad. don't MUD II now 8, much, t,
bat when | was innoeent ip such mat
tetl my modestv was shocked.
Saturday night Is the time for regu-
hr iamboree. But Of course there's idle
men in camp and they are hanging
arDund the halls all the time gambling,
lighting and quarreling with the women,
rlI tell YOU something about these
places,
There is dance hall away up past AL
ptna, where the country is new, and its
about mile inside Of q pine forest
that's as thick as heas on an Indian.
Then ust half mile from this one is
another as big. Each one caters to the
wants Of swo camps Well. 1t would
iast break you all up TO 90 inside of one
Of them on q Saturday night.
The men are OF work about 8 o'clock
in the afternoon. aud after eating their
supper they 20 TO their respective dance
balls. They commence drinking and
Nhcn they are moderately full they be-
s,u the most immoral carousal imagina'
br Frequently the men take the girls
up TO the bar [own ned by the capitalist.
where there are -half-.R dozen tough
looking cut-tlroats pouring out the
poison. The men propose toasts, aud
then all drink. Sometimes one fellow,
osded to the muzzle, will propose
toast 10 the health OF q pretty girl, and
the fellows who have other girls are In
duty bound 10 throw their liquor on the
door and refuse TO drink and dare the
fellow who proposea IL 10 mortal com
ba, Then there will be o rough and
tumble scrap, after which they will be-
KIN TO dance again. As the occasion
gs,s oller and the men get fuller the
slrls throw aside every shred OF fdet ency.
The men get uproarious aud pretty soon
ial on the floor dead drunk or scramble
into hunks which are all around the
bal and wait until the mist rises from
their visions, W. On they'll again join In
the dance. This Is kept up until Sun.
day aIght. when the men 20 back TO
camp to yet ready for work on Monday.
Some time ago the men worked on Sun.
days, but when the pleasures OF the
dauee.house we're introduced bv the
CAPITALIST into the camp thev refused to
work that day, beat they wanted to
attend their church, 40 they called the
Janup.hall.
About getting the girls to inhabit
ihts places Of shame, YOU are probably
aware how It done. No; well I'm not
Particularly we'll posted on how It's done
myself III explain as best | can.
eAcu PROPRIETOR HAS AN AGENT In De-
uoli Or Bay City or some other city
where there's lots Of girls out Of work.
Sometimes these agents have kind of
employment bureau, and advertise for
houseSeepers Of not more than twenty
loar wears Of aye. OF course there are
plenty u applicants. and those who will
10 to the northern part Of the state 70
keeo house are sent up, their fare being
palt by he shipper. They don't know
where they're going until they get into
ue dAnce.house. Then most Of them
CIV aud fret and refuse to lead the life
taey arc brought into camp for. Theis
Solhes are taken iron them and they
s'e provided with single garment, a
loose wrapper which comes only to the
knee. Alter month or two Of this lie
uanng which the miserable girls are
s' sely guarded and prevented from
e,eaplng or committing suicide, ~ many
o'thtm would like TO, the girls become
accustomed TO the life.
Sometimes girl does manage 4
escape aud get lost in the woods. When
Their atsence Is noted. hounds are pu
on their trail, and II not already frossr
70 death they ara torn 10 pieces"
And this lSTAnY is allowed In AxsR
MA-in REPuBLlc,. 90 called. ED. ES